The truth is, as owners, we know our lovable fur monsters better than anybody else.  A look, a distinct bark, an extra-long sigh, a restless night, a tail wag are just a few ways our dogs speak to us and the more time we spend together, the stronger those signals become.  Throughout the past week, I have had to rely on my gut while Ellie, our chihuahua/minpin, fought through a somewhat rocky recovery following a routine dental cleaning and two tooth extractions.

I certainly do not regret the dental cleaning and tooth extractions.  Ellie’s teeth are sparkly white and her breath smells like sunshine and daisies compared to two weeks ago.  I believe healthy teeth and gums are extremely important for overall health. I believe our veterinarian and team have my dogs’ best interest at heart and they provide great care to countless pets.  With being said, more than ever, I am learning how important it is to ask questions, press further if something doesn’t sound quite right, get details on the types of medications that will be used during and after surgery (e.g., extended release antibiotics versus daily dose antibiotics); essentially, I have to “follow my gut” based on instinct and what I know about my dog.  In the midst of learning this lesson and trying to nurse Ellie back to tip top shape, I’ve also become fixated on the magic health benefits of raw Green Tripe (aka cow stomach) but we’ll come back to that later…

Wednesday, May 22 – Dental Cleaning

Ellie’s cleaning and extractions went off without a hitch!  We took her home that afternoon and beside the fact that she looked like she was living in a world of clouds full of magic and wonder (bewitched by a swaying tree just outside the window) and seemed to be a little itchy, it just seemed like normal post-anesthesia symptoms based on what I had read. 

Thursday, May 23

Fast forward to 3am the next morning, I woke up to her scratching and noticed one side of her face had ballooned up, causing a squinty left pirate eye.  By 8am both sides were swollen and it was time to go into the vet, where she was given a steroid shot.  It was later that morning (unfortunately I had to leave her there which was a harder goodbye than the previous day) when the vet called to inform me the swollen face was likely a reaction to a spider or other insect bite.

I’m not saying an insect bite is impossible and I certainly was not blaming the vet if she was having a reaction to one of the medications but suggesting the earlier surgery had no relation felt irresponsible considering the fact that she was just given a whole cocktail of drugs (fast acting and slow release) and had two tooth extractions. Tired and worried furmom was not happy with this response, which began the push-back. It felt unnatural and frustrating to question my vet especially after having so much trust in them over the years, but I do feel more empowered to advocate for my dog. I need my vet to guide me and provide my dog with appropriate treatments, vaccinations and care. However, my dog needs me to ensure they are receiving the best care and appropriate care. Sometimes this means asking a LOT of questions and having uncomfortable conversations.

After a long conversation with the vet, I finally discovered the treatment would have been the same whether it was a reaction to the drugs/procedure or to a bite. I instantly realized that is what I needed to hear for the time being. Thereafter, I took her home and just stared at her puffy head for 8 hours straight, offering different types of simple diets on a silver platter with no luck.  I even tried turning on various cooking shows to see if that might spark an appetite.  I guess that only works for me.

Friday, May 24

The swelling eventually went down except for a little turkey wattle that hung from her neck and snout but the next day was the “vomit” day (2 days post-surgery).  Back to vet, where they gave us anti-nausea medication and suggested Benadryl.  This is when I made the rebellious decision to forego the anti-nausea.  This 9 pound dog had so much crap coursing through her body, I’m sure that was messing up her gut enough to pass on food.  We were heading to the Twin Cities for the long holiday weekend and parents spoil the dogs rotten so maybe this was the boost she needed.

Saturday, May 25 – Green Tripe Day

This was the day we met our doggie witch doctor (we call her, most respectfully), pet food extraordinaire, keeper of the Green Tripe.  We began the day giving Ellie a warm bath with a swirl of aloe and apple cider vinegar.  The goal was to hopefully cure some of the itch and I actually think it made a big difference.  But this girl needed to eat!  Before the recovery fiasco, I had planned on going to a store in the Twin Cities to get some raw bones for the pups in an attempt to avoid dental cleanings in the future so I dragged my mom with me.  After arriving at the store, I asked owner if she had any suggestions for Ellie and before I could finish she was off, darting around her store grabbing informational sheets and different types of foods we could try.  Fairy early on we stopped in front of the freezer.  She pulled out a 1 lb block of something in green and white packaging (it came in a tube similar to the way ground beef is often packaged).  She said “this is ground green tripe”. A boatload of the nutrients and probiotics are packed into this magic blend. Jackpot! 

Immediately after returning home from the store, I thawed out a small chunk of the green tripe.  Oh my god – I kid you not, it smells like manure, which brought back childhood memories of playing on my grandparents farm and accidentally running through “mud” in the barn.  My first thought was, “if Ellie won’t eat beef and rice, she’s sure as heck not going to eat sh*t”.  But before I could even finish my thought, she gobbled that right up and was begging for more.  Holy Cow!    Twenty minutes later, I gave Ellie a little more, and then slowly started feeding her some doggie stew – another successful suggestion.  Finally!  That little gut was filling up on nutrient rich cow guts! Yum!

A little over a week later, Ellie is doing great! She is a complete food snob now. (What have I done?) But I will take food snob over sick dog ANY day

Have you heard of green tripe?  If not, or if you’d like to learn more, read on!  I’ve been obsessed ever since it quickly and successfully brought Ellie back to her old self after days of not eating.

So you have a cow.  It has a complex digestive system.  This cow has different compartments to their stomach, FOUR to be exact!  This cow also grazes on delicious foods like grass and hay – swallows that stuff whole!  As the cow is living its best life in the pasture, the unchewed food starts to pass through the stomach but then surprise; it gets regurgitated back to the mouth where it is finally chewed.  Gross. After exercising those jaw muscles, the food is swallowed once again but this time it continues to travel on through all four chambers where it is further broken down by digestive enzymes, amino acids, and other yummy stomach juices.  Wow! That’s a busy stomach, you might say. Yes, yes it is.

Cow green tripe is made from the muscle wall of the first three cow stomach chambers.  Because the cow’s stomach is so busy and secretes so many rich enzymes, amino acids, etc., you can probably imagine how green tripe can provide your dog with many nutrients, healthy proteins, probiotics, and more!  The gastric enzymes not only help the cow in digestion, but also aid the canine in digesting and efficiently utilizing his food.

As dog parents, we hear A LOT of vague claims and see packaging full of ridiculous promises.  Consequently, I approach all doggie diet trends now with a certain level of pessimistic caution until I have time to thoroughly research, which drives my husband crazy.  Throughout my research of green tripe, I read it can be particularly beneficial for: dogs suffering from kidney problems, cleaner teeth (only if unground), picky eaters, sick dogs, natural flea & tick prevention, healthier coats, IBS, constipation, and more.

Don’t take my word for it.  I encourage you to do your own research then follow your gut.  Start with www.greentripe.com.  The site has a list of places in each state where their product is sold (including many Chuck and Don shops).

Tips:

• Bleached tripe is not the same as green tripe
• If feeding as a complete meal, a good starting point is 2 – 3% of the dog’s healthy weight each day (for a 50-pound dog, that would equate to 1 to 1.5 lbs per day).
• If feeding as a supplement (a smaller portion each day added to kibble or a special treat a few times a week), I recommend cutting the tripe into smaller portions right after purchase, then freezing those portions
  • Some stores sell the ground tripe in bags of 1” frozen cubes which is really convenient since I have smaller dogs and each dog gets 2-3 cubes per day.  I could never go through 1 lb tube of tripe fast enough if it was refrigerated since I just add the tripe to their kibble as a supplement or give as a frozen treat.  Plus I honestly don’t know if I could handle the smell of thawed tripe in my fridge!  Make sure the size of the cube makes sense for your dog.
• Start with a small amount first.  My 9-lb chihuahua and 25-lb rat terrier mix were fine right off the bat.  However, my parents’ yellow lab had a vomit moment.  It could have been because she swallowed the cube whole, as labs do (sort of like that cow swallowing it’s food whole; except I didn’t let her eat the regurgitated food)
• Some dogs don’t like frozen treat and may need the tripe completely thawed.  In that case, you may need to plug your nose the first few times while thawing.
• Do your research!  Just because tripe is great for my dogs, doesn’t mean it’s right for you and your dogs.  Follow your gut!

Share your experiences below!